1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an identification apparatus for a cylindrical container and, more particularly, to an identification apparatus which can be used with a cylindrical container and which has identification members carrying thereon information indicating the contents of the container and which are adapted to be automatically moved or rotated relative to the container to the portions of the periphery of the container which are substantially diametrically opposed and substantially horizontally aligned when the container is placed with its flat end faces disposed in substantially vertical planes, whereby a person is enabled to readily identify a desired container without being required to ascertain the contents of containers by rotating them one after another for identification purpose.
2. Description of prior Art
Magnetic tapes for computers and the like and movie films are usually contained in cylindrical or disc-like containers so that the tapes and films are guarded against deterioration and damage. Such containers with contents therein are storaged on a shelf so that each of the containers is placed on the shelf with the flat end faces disposed in substantially vertical planes, i.e., with the axis of the container extending substantially horizontally. Each of the containers carries on one or both of the end faces identifications or marks which indicate the contents of the container so that a particular container in which a desired tape or film is contained can be identified.
Usually, such containers are placed on a shelf in end to end close contact relationship with each other with their axis substantially axially aligned. In order that the contents of the containers may be identified, each of the containers must be moved or withdrawn relative to the others to a position in which at least a part of the end faces of the withdrawn container is sufficiently exposed to enable a person to ascertain the information on the end faces of the container. This identifying operation is quite troblesome and time-consuming and, therefore, is quite disadvantageous.
In an attempt to eliminate this disadvantage, it has been proposed to put letters or marks on the peripheral surface of each of such containers at a place or places thereof so that the content of the container can be identified by the letters or marks. This proposal, while eliminating the requirement for withdrawing containers one after another from a row of the containers for identification purpose, fails to provide a satisfactory solution in that the containers carrying the identification letters or marks on the peripheral surface thereof are required to be so placed on a shelf that the letters or marks are disposed in positions just ready for identification. In order to satisfy this requirement, containers after being placed on a shelf must be re-adjusted or rotated so that the identification letters or marks are disposed at positions in which the letters or marks can be easily read by a person.